Election 2012: Parse the Results

So it is all but over. The results are for the most part in even though a few states won't call some Senate and House races, and Florida can't get itself to turn on the blue switch. But it seems clear that 1) Barack Obama will continue to another four years as president with both thte popular and electoral majority; 2) Democrats look to pick up twoSenate seats; and 3) Democrats look to pick up at least a couple seats in the House. So how will the results get interpreted? A narrow win for Obama who brought along several other Democrats on his coattails? A repudiation of the Republican's right wing platform?

As for me, the telling thing is not the presidential race, but the Senate and especially the House. Remember that Republicans have had the opportunity to redraw House districts in many states (more than Democrats) and were therefore expected to have a much better chance to hold and gain seats.

Congratulations to the Democrats for running their campaign and getting people out to vote. Overall I am not surprised by the results and had predicted an Obama win. I am disappointing, but now we need to see of we can work together without making things worse for the American people.

I do compliment the President on inviting Romney to the WH for a meeting to discuss how they can incorporate some of his ideas, however I fear that it was some of Romney's ideas that I don't agree with.

Off-topic:

I did not stay up for them to call it. Once Obama took PA, WI, MI, I realized that he was likely going to win.

"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. Time makes more converts than reason." - Thomas Paine Common Sense.

With Congress' disapproval rating so low it amazes me how many incumbents won last night, you'd think that disapproval rating would be expressed in the vote. I guess at the congressional district level you blame everyone else's congress person vs. your own.

With Congress' disapproval rating so low it amazes me how many incumbents won last night, you'd think that disapproval rating would be expressed in the vote. I guess at the congressional district level you blame everyone else's congress person vs. your own.

I actually think that has more to do with districts having been gerrymandered to a point that they tend to protect incumbents, but I think your point is fair. Kind of like how a congressman in another district securing federal funds for a project important to his district is called "pork", but when it is your congressman it is suddenly "my representative secured federal grants to assist this project" and earns him reelection.

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

With Congress' disapproval rating so low it amazes me how many incumbents won last night, you'd think that disapproval rating would be expressed in the vote. I guess at the congressional district level you blame everyone else's congress person vs. your own.

I think redistricting / gerrymandering is the issue here. There's so few competitive districts out there and even if you're in one, the incumbent has a significant fundraising advantage. It's looking like you need to be independently wealthy to even hope to unseat an incumbent in many districts.

I really think the House needs term limits since that's the only way to counteract the effects of partisan redistricting.

Maybe, but the teabaggers are chastened and I don't think Boehner is going to let their clown car in the garage in 2013. That will be a small step in the right direction. Rove will be diminished as well, so there is a small chance for change. I'm not betting on it, but still. We'll see what they do after the soul-searcing is over.

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Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.

Wow! Replacement windows installed for $189 with 0% financing until 2014. What a deal!

Off-topic:

Man, I wish I could get deals like that! Maybe if I subscribed to the local newspaper I could find an ad or coupon like that!

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Man, I wish I could get deals like that! Maybe if I subscribed to the local newspaper I could find an ad or coupon like that!

Off-topic:

I thought about replacement window until I talked to the guys in the industry when they said that they would last 20 years. I guess they are called replacement windows because they need to be replaced so often. I will stick with my working 120 year old original windows and get or build good storms for them.

On topic, I find it interesting that my Republican friends are angry and think the election was rigged and that we are screwed, my democrat friends are happy because if the other guy got elected we would be screwed, and my Libertarian friends are indifferent because they know we are screwed either way.

"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. Time makes more converts than reason." - Thomas Paine Common Sense.

Honestly, with this economy, this should have been a slam dunk for the Republicans. The fact that it wasn't *should* really inspire some soul searching. I'm hopeful that some amount of across-the-aisle work can actually be done since Obama can't be reelected for a third term (so the Republicans can't make it their singular mission to block his every move, it would be inexcusable this time around).